IRONIC DANCING ABSOLON IN THE
MILLER’S TALE
Margaret Jennings, C.S.J.
Given recent critical
the relationship b e t w e e n
the p o e t ' s
a t t e n t i o n t o C h a u c e r ’s c o m i c m e c h a n i c s
characterization and syntax,
devoting three of twenty-five
2
a n d to
one should beware
l i nes o f s u s p e n d e d n a r r a t i o n to
A b s olon the Dancer:
In twenty m a n e r e
coude he trippe
and daunce,
A f t e r the s c o l e o f O x e n f o r d e tho,
A n d with his
legges
c a s t e n t o a n d fro.
(3328-30)
The statement seems s t r a i ghtforward until one remembers
the i r o n i c under-
p i n n i n g s o f a l l C h a u c e r i a n d e s c r i p t i o n ,3 a n d e s p e c i a l l y t h a t w h i c h d e t a i l s
A bsolon's overall "perfuming," his pleasure
passion
r a t h e r than the
"solas"
in the r i t u a l o f h o p e l e s s
o f the b e d c h a m b e r ,
and his self-image o f
elegant bourgeoiserie which places
h i m i n t h e o r y b u t n o t in p r a c t i c e
a b o v e the villagers.
of Chaucer's
large part
hair,
far
r a nge o f i r o n y a c c o u n t in
for s c h o l a r l y e f f o r t s
his p r o f e s s i o n ,
Indeed,
studied
Explorations
his
to u n d e r s t a n d the s i g n i f i c a n c e o f A b s o l o n ' s
4
var i o u s a vocations, and his re m a r k a b l e attire.
one w o u l d expect such
from head
to foot.
Yet,
of his biblical namesake,^ attempts
off markedly
a clearly drawn
c h a r a c t e r to h a v e b e e n
as in t h e c a s e o f P e t e r R i g a ’
s e ffic tio
to e x p l a i n A b s o l o n ' s p r e s e n t a t i o n
from the knees downward.
Although Chaucer's
fall
characterizations
are o f t e n s a i d to leap o u t at the reader,
literally does so —
notice.
these
The
the
fact t hat the d a n c i n g Abs o l o n
c a s t i n g his legs to a n d fro —
has o c c asioned little
c o u n t e r p o i n t of e x p e c t a t i o n a n d a c t u a l i t y in the c r i t i c i s m o f
l i n e s i s e m b l e m a t i c o f t h e k i n d o f i r o n y t h e y i l l u s t r a t e b e c a u s e in
its most mature
form verbal
b e t w e e n the p o e t
therefore,
irony d e m a n d s an u n d e r s t a n d i n g o r e v e n an i n t i m a c y
and the more perceptive of his audience.
Ironies exist,
i n t h e g a p s b e t w e e n w h a t is e x p e c t e d a n d w h a t i s.
implications of Absolon's dancing bridges the gaps
the ranks o f the m o r e p e r c e p t i v e
audience.
C h a u c e r ' s p o r t r a y a l o f A b s o l o n as a s m a l l
tation that his dancing be
albeit totally
that the P r o v e n ç a l
under careful scrutiny.
—
and dances,
alw a y s been in c l ose
6
B u t such
indeed,
evidence
(ca.
1208)
courts where they were welcomed because of
a n d n o w h e r e m o r e so t h a n in E n g l a n d w h o s e k i n g s h a d
touch with Provence.^
Round Dances or Branles,
B r i t a i n by 1350.
T h ere is,
the e x p e c ­
a s o c i a l d a n c e --
t r o u b a d o u r s w h o e s c a p e d the A l b i g e n s i a n p u r g e
to o k r e f u g e in v a r i o u s E u r o p e a n
of all present
town dandy permits
a "genteel accomplishment"
u n i m p r e s s i v e to a y o u n g lady of A l i s o u n ' s spirit.
an expectation withers
their songs
E x p o s i n g the
and allows entrance into
Farandoles,
Because of these entertainers,
a n d O l d A l m a i n s w e r e w e l l k n o w n in
T h e i r e x e c u t i o n seems to h a v e d e m a n d e d the c o o p e r a t i o n
and the d i v i d i n g line
for p a r ticipation was not between
g
peasantry and gentry but between old and young.
l e a r n e d by the s i m p l e
h o u s e o r ca s t l e h a l l to the v i l l a g e green.
the Branle,
the roundel,
list of dances
can raise
foppish and
the hay,
—
Y e t e v e n i f the
for d e f i n i n g " m a n e r e " as
Farandole,
"steps"
rather than "types"
and Estampie boasted that number of m o v e ­
t h e r e is s t i l l n o p o s s i b i l i t y o f r e l a t i n g a ny t w e n t y - s t e p d a n c e to
the Oxford environs.
I t is t r u e t h a t S i r H u m p h r e y G i l b e r t ' s
t r a i n i n g the a r i s t o c r a c y
w h i c h was in e x i st e n c e
Forman, who was
at O x f o r d
(ca.
for some time.
1570)^
scheme
The diary of the notorious Simon
in 1574,
also mentions
a s r a t h e r v e n e r a b l e c o l l e g i a t e i n s t i t u t i o n s .1 1
the e a r l i e s t scho o l
for
included a "dawncing schole"
an u n d e r g r a d u a t e a t M a g d a l e n C o l l e g e
"daunceing scolles"
tunately,
fastidious Absolon.
and variations of each are a dded to the possible
no amount of scholarly chicanery
9
the n u m b e r o f these so c i a l d a n c e s to twenty.
and many a Branle,
ments
a development of
in A b s o l o n ' s repert o i r e ,
W h e n a case is m ade
—
The Estampie,
featuring one gentleman and one or two ladies, w o u l d seem
a d m i r a b l y s u i t e d to the
carole,
As a res u l t , d a n c e s w ere
folk and could easily be t r a nsported from the m a nor
that c an b e i d e n t i f i e d is t he
Unfor­
"daunsing
school" on
North
the
first
floor o f a h o u s e in C o r n m a r k e t ,
G a t e o p p o s i t e St.
Bosseley,
"musition,"
in 1610,
Michael's.
who,
the morning"
must mean
This was occup i e d in 1606 by John
on the r e n e w a l o f hi s
lease b y the C i t y o f O x f o r d
12
the
in the n i g h t nor b e f o r e
-- sure g rounds
fyve o f t he c l o c k e in
for l e a s e - b r e a k i n g e v e n now.
So "scole"
"style" or "f a s h i o n " o f O x f o r d w h e r e the o nly in d i g e n o u s
are those p r e s erved under the title of "Cotswold morris,"
s e e m to h a v e b e e n in e x i s t e n c e l ong b e f o r e the t erm m o r r i s
"moorish")
was
a d o p t e d in E n g l a n d . T h e
folk dances
Bennett's
common
(originally
The i n c e p t i o n b a n q u e t in P a r i s
contemporary Bologna statutes
to t h e a c a d e m i c
Instead,
"qui
public.1^
regularly included d a n c e s ^
and, w h i l e
forbade a rector to "dance or make dance wi t h
for a w hole month after his inauguration, presumably
Fifteenth-century
and Avignon provide that student
f u e r i n t in f e s t i s d e u n i v c r s i t a t e " s h o u l d n o t b e p e r m i t t e d in
that dancing was a favorite amusement w i t h four-
teenth-century English students
f rom the
jealously guarded against
found it n e c e s s a r y ,
to m a k e
t h e m selves i n d u l g e d in dancing.
type of recreation was not p r o s c r i b e d . ^
Rashdall infers
which was
schools of Absolon's
such a conclusion leads to a
scholars
a g r e e m e n t s b e t w e e n town and g o w n at B a s e l
dances
"florid"
further deduction that such dancing must
f or , t h r o u g h o u t E u r o p e ,
the r e a f t e r this
all-
to the S p r i n g - S u m m e r festivals.
have be e n the "townish counterpart
14
rival"
is w h a t w e s h o u l d e x p e c t .
trumpets or without"
then,
leaping,
contention that AbsoIon's performance would have been
is u n d o u b t e d l y c o r r e c t a n d h i s
second irony
though they
effetely-mannered Absolon,
is p r o f i c i e n t n o t in the s t a t e l y E s t a m p i e b u t in the j i g g i n g ,
male
t he
h a d to p r o m i s e t h a t "he w o u l d n o t d a u n s e n o r s u f f e r any d a u n s i n g
a f t e r t e nne o f the C l o c k e
dances
immediately outside
fact that e ven in N e w College,
female intrusion, William of W y k e h a m
for the p r o t e c t i o n o f the s c u l p t u r e in the C h a p e l
reredos,
a s t a t u t e a g a i n s t d a n c i n g o r j u m p i n g i n t he C h a p e l o r i n t h e a d j o i n ­
ing hall.
leaping,
N e w C o l l e g e a l s o p r o h i b i t e d all s truggling,
singing,
of water,
beer,
shouting,
tumult,
and other liquids,
chorusing,
and inordinate noise,
dancing,
the p o u r i n g
forth
a n d b o i s t e r o u s g a m e s in the hall o n the
grounds
t h a t they w e r e l i k e l y to d i s t u r b the o c c u p a n t s o f the C h a p l a i n ' s
18
chamber below.
A m o d e r a t e i n d u l g e n c e in t he m o r e h a r m l e s s o f t h e s e p a s ­
times
in o t h e r p l a c e s
have been permitted.
"gown's"
Nicolas
di f f e r e n t .
—
and s u r e l y d a n c i n g c a n b e i n c l u d e d h e r e -- s e e m s
So the
"town's"
in a l m o s t e v e r y w a y ,
Absolon,
w h o s e ems to r i val the
is in his d a n c i n g m o r e
like than
to
A t h i r d i r o n y c a n b e d i s c e r n e d in C h a u c e r ' s
as a p a r i s h c l e r k ;
one w o u l d expect
least be not inimical
"dance"
fr o m this t h a t his d a n c i n g w o u l d at
to his e c c l e s i a s t i c a l p o s i t i o n .
festivals
in the m a n o r h o u s e s ,
the w o r d
Dances.were
at c h u r c h w a k e s
and saints'
at the sa m e time t h a t this a m u s e m e n t w a s p i l l o r i e d b y b o t h c o n t i n ­
and English churchmen:
E ti e n n e do B ou rb on ,
C a n t i m p r a t a n u s , Berthold de Ratisbon,
Brunne,
Doubtless,
had o ccasioned very contradictory b e haviour patterns.
c o n s i s t e n t l y h e l d at court,
ental
ca r e to i d e n t i f y A b s o l o n
and William of Pagula,
look at t h e i r p r o s c r i p t i o n s ,
special kind of dancing.
w h i c h this
Johan Geiler,
to n a m e
however,
Jacques
d e V.itry, T h o m a s
Robert Mannyng of
the more c o n s picuous.
focuses
19
A closer
these c o n d e m n a t i o n s on a
Robert Mannyng clearly explained the
c o n t e x t in
d a n c i n g is i n t o l e r a b l e :
Daunces,
karols,
somour games
Of many swych come many shames
W h a n t h o u s t o d y s t to make these
Thou art sloghe yn Goddys
servyse
A n d t h a t s y n n e n yn s w y c h t h u r g h t the
F o r h e m t h o u s h a l t a - c o u p e d e be.
20
The p r o x i m i t y o f M a n n y n g ' s infam o u s d a n c e s
the p r i m i t i v e l i n k e d chain
21
—
to "karols"
and to "somour games
—
derived from
i n d i c a t e s that he does
n o t r e f e r t o the s o c i a l d a n c e s o f the T r o u b a d o u r s b u t t o a n o t h e r e t y m o l o g i cally defensible
22
signification
is b y a n a l o g y a n d r e a c h e s
d ancing seems
to o r i g i n a t e
for the w o r d .
conclusions
costume elements
such
as b e l l s ,
like b l a c k e n e d faces
the d a n cers
ribbons,
pagan
23
It is q u i t e p o s s i b l e
feathers,
religious
such
designed to promote
that
along with efforts
at
(many o f w h i c h c h a r a c t e r i z e
in m e d i a e v a l m a n u s c r i p t i l l u m i n a t i o n s
festivals
argument
that are n e c e s s a r i l y t e n t a t i v e ,
and animal masks
f irst the t r a p p i n g s o f d e a d ances t o r s
seasonal
folklore's
in a p r i m i t i v e c u l t o f the a r m y o f the dea£,
m o v i n g and r a g i n g in r i t u a l i s t i c ecstasy.
disguise
Although
and margins
24
) w e r e at
and only later were associated with
fertility.
25
The evolution
ritual to folk c u s t o m o b v i o u s l y t ook centuries;
s atisfac t o r i l y c o mpleted by the thirteenth
from
it w a s n o t
century when Robert Grosseteste
a n d W a l t e r de C h a n t e l o u p t ried to s u p p r e s s the May Games a n d W h i t s u n Ales
whose
respectability was doubtful.*^
by a whole village
a Young Men's Dance
These summer ceremonies,
for t h e b e n e f i t o f e v e r y b o d y ' s
(probably p r o c e s s i o n a l
crops
in character)
celebrated
and herds,
included
whose movements
182
responded to a musical rhythm while its handkerchiefs, clothing, and other
paraphernalia represented the immaterial or spiritual side of man and nature
27
shared alike by the living and the dead.
No doubt the original purpose
of quickening Nature -- quickened itself by fermented spirits -- found outlet in other activities which merited churchly condemnation.
But folk custom rooted in pre-Christian ritual is difficult to dislodge and the mediaeval church frequently came to terms with the enemy.
The
Franciscan author of Dives and Pauper took the liberal view,28 and, in
organizing processions for its great new feast of Corpus Christi in 1264,
the Church r es ignedly admitted these originally heathen dances to her sacred
rites.
The Hours of Juvenal des Ursines show the procession of the host on
Corpus Christi Day surrounded by clerks of the brotherhood wearing
~reaths
on their heads;29 similar headgear -- also the trappings of the Young Men's
Dance -- seems to have been customary at English celebrations of the Feast,
even to being willed from one corpus Christi Guild member to another. 30
Nevertheless, the marriage of pagan custom and Christian ritual was not always
a happy one; there are numerous prohibitions of dancing in churchyards in
England, and the Chancellor of the University of Oxford in 1250 or thereabouts, "unde r pain of the greater excommunication," forbade alike in
churches or in the streets "all dancing in masks or with disorderly noises
and all processions of men wearing wreaths or garlands made of leaves or
trees or flowers or what not." 31
In 1306, howeve r, there was an obvious breach of the edict, resulting
in the demise of Gilbert de Foxlee, when the OXford Tailor's Guild held a
St. John's Eve wake in their shops:
as the use and custom is to do there
. And after midnight,
finding that no man was wandering there in the streets, they went
forth from their shops and others with them an held their dances
in the High Street in the face of Cloth Hall; and as they
thQ~
played, there came the aforesaid Gilbert [who] began to contend
with them, purposing . . . to break up that dance. 32
The inquest into this disastrous behaviour provides us with some important
information: the adventure occurs only after midnight when the town was
deserted; the time of the year is June; the deposition mentions a group of
dances obviously known to all.
We can also be reasonably sure that the
"tailors of Oxford" were not a dual-sex organization. 33
Given Gilbert
de F o x l e e ' s o u t r a g e ,
in the m e d i a e v a l
it w o u l d n o t s e e m tha t t h e s e d a n c e s w e r e
city of Chaucer's
fabliau.
even tolerated
The tailors w o u l d h a v e
b e t t e r if they h a d s aved t heir d a n c i n g for the W h i t s u n a n d / o r Lamb
fared
ales
w h i c h d o t t e d the O x f o r d c o u n t r y s i d e on s e v e r a l J u n e M o n d a y s
remarkable
Moreover,
and which were
34
for t h e i r a n t i q u i t y w h o n B l o u n t d e s c r i b e d t h e m in 1679.
one
can surmise that Absolon, who disported with his Oseney com­
rades on a Monday, was well
celebrations
aware o f the cl i m a t e o f o p i n i o n a g a i n s t such
in the c h u r c h l y a t m o s p h e r e o f O x f o r d town.
gating ecclesial
Thus by investi­
attit u d e we again w a t c h the d a n c i n g A b s o l o n e x e c u t e
an
i r o n i c twist.
A last,
delightful set of ironies may be
connected with
t he p e r f o r m a n c e s p e r m i t t e d in the Y o u n g M e n ' s D a n c e s ;
variations
in
that th ey c o u l d be
s o l o o r g r o u p is a n o p t i o n s t i l l p r e s e r v e d i n t h e t r e a s u r e d t r a d i t i o n s o f
t h e C o t s w o l d m o r r i s . 3 "*
izations:
Solo parts eventually produced two standard character­
t h a t o f the Fo o l and t h a t o f the M a n - W o m a n .
h a v e b e e n p a r t o f an i n i t i a t i o n
could have
and man,
The Fool may originally
t h a t is, t h e a n t i c s h e p e r f o r m s
symbolized first the death of childhood and the b i r t h of manhood
and only
later have been
t h e s p i r i t o f f e r t i l i t y . 36
century,
rite,
c o n f u s e d w i t h the k i l l i n g a n d r e v i v i n g o f
According
to the i l l u m i n a t o r s o f the thir t e e n t h
the F o o l a p p e a r e d a w r e t c h e d i diot a n d e v e n w h e n he w a s
refurbished
i n f o u r t e e n t h - c e n t u r y m i n i a t u r e s , t h e i m p r o v e m e n t s a d d e d b u t l i t t l e to h i s
37
respectability or respect.
The Man-Woman, that common symbol of fertility,
38
s u r v i v e d s p l e n d i d l y i n E n g l i s h m o r r i s as t h e M a i d M a r i a n .
One w o u l d expect,
then,
t h a t A b s o l o n ' s p a r t i c i p a t i o n in t h e s e Y o u n g M e n ' s D a n c e s w o u l d give
h i m an e x c e l l e n t o p p o r t u n i t y to d i s play his
shoes, but since Chaucer abstains
"disporting"
one
sequent exploits
Fool's part;
can t h e o r i z e ,
and his beautiful
first,
that the clerk's p r e c e d i n g a n d sub­
in t h e t a l e i d e n t i f y h i m a s a l i k e l y c a n d i d a t e
second,
that his
make him a worthy nominee
o r n o t he
"lightnesse"
fr o m d e t a i l i n g the e x a c t n a t u r e o f his
for the
lengthy hair and rather questionable masculinity
for the M a n - W o m a n role;
and third,
that whether
c o u l d b e i d e n t i f i e d as F o o l o r M a n - W o m a n , h i s c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n
39
at the same time
casts doubt on his masculinity and/or sexual adequacy
t h a t it f e a t u r e s h i s p a r t i c i p a t i o n in d a n c e s w h i c h r e j o i c e d o v e r a n d e n c o u r ­
aged both
Obviously,
the i n c i d e n c e of
f e r t i l i t y and the p r o p a g a t i o n o f the species.
at e v e r y tu r n in t hese t hree
underlie a mature
and subtle
irony.
lines, expectation
and actuality
F r o m an i n f o r m e d v a n t a g e p o i n t ,
C h aucer's seem i n g l y irrelevant comment yields a rich, ironic harvest.
The
ultimate question,
however one defines
number twenty.
Actually
the Oxford area
(Headington Quarry
of customary dances
(stick,
the
troupes
in
and Bampton) both have prese r v e d a body
40
that n u m b e r about twenty.
Composed of set-dances
reel, handkerchief,
o r corner)
and jigs,
the r e p e r t o i r e s w h e n
41
were considered of vener­
age, e v e n if individual dances wer e sometimes p u t to tunes w i t h m odern
names.
One o f t h e o l d e s t o f t h e s e d a n c e s i s c a l l e d " t r u n k o l e s , " " t r u n k l e s , "
or "trunkhose"
form,
and now identifies a c o m e r
dance? its e a r l i e s t o r t h o g r a p h i c a l
42
if derived from the later Latin t r u n c u s ,
may well have
"trunkles,"
h e r a l d e d the Fool.
has
involves
the most active and lo n g - l i v e d mor r i s
collected by Cecil Sharp and Herbert Macilwaine
able
"manere,"
In line w i t h its
little of what might be
curious name,
the melody
for this dance
c a l l e d m o d e r n ton a l i t y ? W i l l i a m K i m b e r , the
43
termed it simply "ancient.”
Both repu­
g rand old man of English morris,
table
tradition
steps.
Chaucer's notation,
Young Men's
than
and contemporary practice indicate that trunkles has
combative
in n a t u r e —
fertility to the earth.
been
St.
then, w h ile it could refer to a whole
Dances, probably specifies
a single one —
group of
processional rather
w h i c h c e l e b r a t e d in twen t y ste p s
A p r o t o f o r m of the morris,
20
this
the ret u r n o f
dance may have
a trunkles.
Joseph's College,
Brooklyn
NOTES
^ J o s e p h A.
Dane,.
"The Me c h a n i c s o f C o m e d y in C h a u c e r ' s M i l l e r ' s
T a le ,"
C hau cer R e v ie w 1 4 (1980) 2 1 5 - 2 4 .
2
Thomas
J. J a m b e c k , " C h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n a n d S y n t a x i n t h e M i l l e r ' s
J o u r n a l o f N a r r a t i v e T e c h n iq u e 5 (1975)
3 Edm u n d Reiss,
T a l e ,"
73-85.
"Chaucer and Medieval Irony," S tu d ie s in
t h e Age o f
C h aucer 1 (197 9 ) 6 7 - 8 2 .
4
S o m e o f t h e m o r e w e l l - k n o w n s t u d i e s a r e P a u l E.
Beichner,
'Absolom's
H a i r / ' M e d ia e v a l S t u d i e s
and Characterization
72
(1971)
477-82;
R ev ie w 5 (1970)
12
(1950)
222-33;
in the M i l l e r ' s
Beryl
Rowland,
"The P l a y o f the M i l l e r ' s
140-46;
P e t e r H.
Beidler,
T a l e C h a u c e r R e v ie w 12
Chaucer’
s The M i l l e r ' s
(1977)
90-102;
^ S e e P a u l E.
T a l e , " Chaucer
"Art and Scatology
R o y P. C l a r k ,
Beichner,
in the M i l l e r ' s
"Christmas
Games
in
(London 1978).
"The O l d F r e n c h V e r s e B i b l e o f M a c é d e la
A T r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e A u r o r a , " Sp e cu lu m 22
6
"Physiognomy
T a l e , " S t u d i e s i n S h o r t F i c t i o n 1 3 (1976) 2 7 7 - 8 7 ;
a nd J a m e s W i n n y ' s e d i t i o n o f the t e x t
Charité,
T h o m a s B. H a n s o n ,
T a le ," N e u p h ilo lo g isch e M itte ilu n g e n
P a u l E. B e i c h n e r ,
(1947)
233-34.
" C h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n in t h e M i l l e r ' s T a l e , "
in
Chaucer C r i t i c i s m : The C a n t e r b u r y T a l e s , e d . , R i c h a r d S c h o e c k a n d J e r o m e
Taylor
(Notre Dame,
In d .
196 0 )
121.
M e l u s i n e W o o d , Some H i s t o r i c a l
^ I b i d . 14.
9
S i s t e r M.
Amusements in
Kennedy,
^
Ernestine Whitmore,
Dances ( L o n d o n 1952)
13.
M ed ieval E n g l i s h D o m e s ti c L i f e and
t h e Works o f C haucer ( W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . 193 7 )
22.
Cf.
Douglas
E n g l a n d ' s Dances ( L o n d o n 1 9 4 9 ) .
Percy Manning,
" S p o r t and P a s t i m e in S t u a r t O x f o r d , "
T o k e n s , ed. H . E . S a l t e r ( O x f o r d 1 9 2 3 )
i n S u r v e y s and
116.
A u to b i o g r a p h y and P e r s o n a l D i a r y o f Dr. S i m o n Forman, e d . J a m e s 0.
H a l l i w e l l - P h i l l i p s ( L o n d o n 1 8 4 9 ) 12.
12
O x f o r d C i t y C o u n c i l B o o k B, f o r S e p t e i r b e r 8 th,
132 ,
134-35.
Cf.
L e d g e r D, 5,
Rodney Gallop,
118
(1935)
92-99;
5,
foi.
180;
f o l . 109
c ited in M a n n i n g
a n d fols,
(at n.
10).
" T h e M e a n i n g o f M o r r i s , " N i n e t e e n t h C e n tu r y and A f t e r
Joseph Needham,
"The Geographical D i s t r i b u t i o n of Engl i s h
C e r e m o n i a l D a n c e T r a d i t i o n , " J o u r n a l o f t h e E n g l i s h F o lk Dance a nd Song
Society
3 (1936)
26,
The
39; V i o l e t A l f r e d ,
"Morris and Morisca,"
(1935)
42-43,
be the
1458 w i l l o f A l i c e de W e t e n h a l l e w h i c h b e q u e a t h e s
s i l v e r cup, sc u l p t ,
the Morris
English
f irst c i t a t i o n of the t e r m " m o r r i s "
de m o reys
in E n g l a n d , "
JEFDSS
d a u n s ." S e e B a r b a r a L o w e ,
8
(1957)
61:
made morishes,
comedies,
to J o h n o f Gaunt.
to her son
"Early
d a u n c e s , interludes
to
"a
Records of
'The K n i g h t o f the Swa n n e , '
the w e d d i n g o f K i n g O r i e n t a n d B e a t r i c e
Theor i e s p r o p o s e d to e x p l a i n the E n g lish
especially since
in E n g l a n d seems
"About the same time the
t r a n s l a t o r o f the N o r m a n - F r e n c h romance,
r e l ated that the n i g h t b e f o r e
JEFDSS 2
'were
and all m a n e r of joyous sportes'."
usage of "morris" hav e
the d i s c r e d i t i n g o f th a t w h i c h a t t r i b u t e d its
In "The M e a n i n g of Morris,"
abounded,
introduction
Nineteenth Century and After
118
(1935)
92-99,
R o d n e y G a l l o p sur v e y s b o t h the a n c i e n t and m o d e r n d e r i v a ­
tions o f the word.
T h e J o h n o f G a u n t t h e o r y is s u m m a r i z e d i n W i l l i a m B a y l e s ,
"A C a n t e r b u r y T a l e s
in P l a s t i c / '
b o t h sides o f the Pyrenees,
tainment
mediaeval seasonal
(1935)
festivals
called the M a u r e s q u e , a contest between Moors
dramatically
Kennedy
G e r m a n y and You 5
10.
Certainly,
i n c l u d e d an e n t e r ­
and Christians which
r e p r e s e n t e d the a n n u a l c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n life a n d death;
(at n.
9)
44.
Such a dance was surely seen by
o cc u p a t i o n in Gascony
on
see '
the English army of
and A q u i t a i n e duri n g the H u n d r e d Y e a r s W a r and p e r h a p s
invited comparisons with English varieties
in t he c o n t e s t
format.
But what­
e v e r c a u s e d the p o p u l a r m i s a p p r e h e n s i o n w h i c h e x t e n d e d the t e r m "moorish"
to folk d a n c e in E n g l a n d ,
" m o r r i s *1 t h e r e
tinent;
ous
in
it is i n d i s p u t a b l e t h a t the i n t r o d u c t i o n o f
l a g g e d ce n t u r i e s b e h i n d its ap p e a r a n c e o n the E u r o p e a n c o n ­
fact,
the dances eventually
to the M i dlands even b e f o r e
"Morris
a n d M o r i s c a , " JEFDSS 2
called "morris" were probably i ndigen­
the arr i v a l o f the Danes;
(1935)
42-43:
see
violet Alfred,
" T h e d a n c e i s m e n t i o n e d as
p e r f o r m e d at the m a r r i a g e o f Q u e e n P e t r o n i l l a o f A r a g o n in o r about 1149
. . There were solo morescas
euse moresque'
Needham,
with
too.
little bells
Petrarch once chose
^
t o p e r f o r m a ’v i g o r -
on his arms and legs."
See
"The G e o g r a p h i c a l D i s t r i b u t i o n o f En g lish C e r e m o n i a l
t i o n s , " JEFDSS 3 (19 3 6 ) 2 6 , 39.
14
J . A . W . B e n n e t t , C h a u c e r a t O x fo rd and Cambridge
. .
also Joseph
Dance T r a d i ­
( T o r o n t o 197 4 )
48.
R a s h d a l l '1s The U n i v e r s i t i e s o f Europe i n t h e M id d le A g e s , e d. F . M .
Powicke
and A.B.
16 I b i d .
I,
Emden
( O x f o r d 19 36)
I, 4 6 2 .
185.
^ A v i g n o n : 1 4 4 1 ; B a s e l : 1 4 6 0 (ibid. I l l , 4 2 2 ) .
18
S t a t u t e s o f t h e C o l l e g e s o f O x fo rd w i t h R oyal P a t e n t s o f F o u n d a tio n
I n j u n c t i o n o f V i s i t o r s I ( L o n d o n 1 8 5 3 ) 1 0 0 , r u b r i c 63; c f. H. R a s h d a l l a n d
R.S.
n.
Rait,
N e w C o lle g e
( L o n d o n 19 0 1 )
61,
and R a s h d a ll' s U n iv e r s itie s
15) I I I , 4 2 2 .
19
William of Pagula, Oculus S a c e r d o tis, pars secunda,
U n i v e r s i t y MS Lat.
I,
fol.
The o t h e r condemnations
42va,
fulminates against
Ten M e d ie v a l S t u d i e s
^
19 30)
IV,
359;
Coulton,
cf.
G.G.
L ife in the
Couiton,
39.
R o b e r t o f B r u n n e ' s H a n d ly n g S i n n e , ed. F r e d e r i c k J. F u r n i v a l
(London 1862)
21
(Cambridge
Ohio State
"coreas dissolutas."
are c i t e d and s u r v e y e d in G.G.
M id d le A ges ( C a m b r i d g e 1 9 6 7 ) I, 89 a n d 1 2 9 ;
Kennedy
148,
4684-89.
(at n.
9)
33.
(at
O H G da nson a n d M H G t arizen i n d i c a t e
a d a nce w h i c h is c o m p r i s e d o f
l e a p i n g , s t a m p i n g , a n d h o p p i n g (cf. K e n n e d y , op. c i t . 2 6 - 2 7 ) .
23
R i c h a r d W o l f r a m , " S w o r d D a n c e s a n d S e c r e t S o c i e t i e s , " JEFDSS 1
(1932)
40.
24
For example;
MS B o d l e y 264,
fols.
21v, 51v,
78r,
84r,
70r,
M S A u c t a r i u m D. 4. 3., fol. 2v; M S A u c t a r i u m D. 3. 2 . , fol* 2 3 8 r *
25
R o d n e y G a l l o p , " T h e O r i g i n s o f t h e M o r r i s D a n c e , " JEFDSS 1
a n d 129r;
(19 34)
129 .
26
was
Grosseteste
the
"Ludus
i n v e i g h e d a g a i n s t the " I n d u c t i o M a ii"
de R e g e
and Regina";
see Elizabeth Swann,
t h e M o r r i s , " JEFDSS 1 (1952) 121.
27
K e n n e d y (at n. 9) 54.
28
H e n r y P a r k e r , D i v e s and Pau per
the
"Thyrde Command."
29
The manuscript
(London 1536)
(probably fifteenth-century)
fol.
and Walter's
target
"Maid Marian
and
127,
cap.
18 o f
w a s p r e s e n t e d to the town
o f P a r i s b y M. A m b r o s e F i r m i n - D i d o t a n d w a s b u r n e d i n t h e H o t e l d e V i l l e
fire o f 1871;
s e e P a u l L a c r o i x , M i l i t a r y and R e l i g i o u s L i f e i n
A g es ( N e w Y o r k 18 7 4 )
30
t h e M id d le
238.
Cited from Christopher Wordsworth,
N o t e s on M e d ie va l S e r v i c e s m
E n g la n d , p. 2 8 1 i n P e r c y M a n n i n g ' s m a n u s c r i p t n o t e s , M S T o p . O x . D . 2 0 0 .
Henry Anstey,
is M a n n i n g ’
s
Munimenta Académica I (T.ondon 18 6 8 )
(ibid.).
C o u l t o n , Life
n o t i n g the s t r i n g e n t p r o h i b i t i o n s
century,
Exeter.
32
(at n.
19)
18;
the t r a n s l a t i o n
I, 2 0 4 , m a k e s a p o i n t o f
aga i n s t c h u r c h y a r d d a n c i n g in the 15th
b u t M a n n i n g t r a c e s a s i m i l a r p r o n o u n c e m e n t to the 1 2 8 7 S y n o d o f
Aug.
21,
1306:
Et post mediam noctem cum intellexissent neminem
v a g a n t e m ibi in s t r a t i s , e x i e r u n t de s h o p p i s s u i s e t ali i q u e e r a n t c u m
eis et d u c e b a n t coreas suas
in alto vico contra draperiam;
ludebant supervenit praedictus Gilbertis
e t ut s i c
de F o x l e c u m q u o d a m g l a d i o
et movebat statim contentionem versus eos volens o mnimodo p e n etrasse
illam"
in J.E.T.
Rogers,
33 S y l v i a T h r u p p ,
Mich.
1 9 6 2 ) 6 ff.;
Hirsh,
86-90.
Mondays
( O x f o r d 189 1 )
coream
165.
The M erchant C l a s s o f M e d ie va l London ( A n n A r b o r ,
J o s e p h H.
(N e w Y o r k 19 6 4 ) 390.
34
Thomas Blount,
149 .
e d . , O x fo rd C i t y Documents
. . .
D a h m u s , A H i s t o r y o f M e die val C i v i l i z a t i o n
Fragmenta A n t i q u i t a t i s : A n c i e n t T e n u r e s ( L o n d o n 167 9 )
are s i g n i f i c a n t t h r o u g h o u t the M i l l e r ' s T a le :
"Why Does the Miller's
s e e J o h n C.
T a l e T a k e P l a c e o n M o n d a y ? " ELN 1 3
(1975)
^
Cecil Sharp and Herbert Macilwaine,
R i c hard Wolfram,
^
Cited
The M o r r is Book X ( L o n d o n 1912) 5.
" S w o r d D a n c e s a n d S e c r e t S o c i e t i e s , " JEFDSS 1
f r o m S t r u t t ' s C om ple te
(1932)
View o f t h e D r e s s and H a b i t s o f t h e
P e o p l e o f E n g la n d I I , 3 1 3 i n H o r a t i o S m i t h , F e s t i v a l s , Games, and Amusements
A n c i e n t and Modern ( N e w Y o r k 1 8 3 2 ) 223.
38
Francis Douce,
"The Ancient English Morris Dance,"
The Mask II
( F l o r e n c e 1919) 153.
39
A c o m m o n p l a c e s i n c e E a r l e B i r n e y s "The I n h i b i t e d and the Unin h i b i t e d :
I r o n i c S t r u c t u r e s i n t h e M i l l e r ' s T a l e ," N e o p h i l o l o g u s
44 (1960) 337.
40
Some o f the Bampton Dances have been lost but the H e a d m g t o n Quarry
tradition
Billy,"
Dances
includes
"Rigs o'
like
a Morris
Marlow,"
Reel,
"Laudnum Bunches,"
kerchief Dances
like
"Trunklcs,"
"Country Gardens,"
Upstairs,"
"Double Set Back,"
the Fair,"
"Old Mother Oxford,"
"Bacca Pipes,"
( a t n.
41
a n d "Figures.
like "Jockie
to
See Sharp and Macilwaine
The
collectors included music and dance patterns
ff.
along with
their
Supplementary data of this kind have appeared
i n JEFDSS.
Charles DuCange,
Cicero's
Hand­
"Getting
"The O l d W o m a n T o s s e d U p in a B l a n k e t , "
32
t a t i s , VI
morris
Jigs
"Constant
Corner
a n d "How d ' y e Do, Sir?";
"Blue-eyed Stranger,"
35)
regularly
dolt.
43
and "Rodney";
"Haste to the We d d i n g " ;
"Shepherd's Hey,"
d i s c u s s i o n s o f the dance type.
42
Stick Dances like "Bean-Setting,"
" H u n t i n g the S q u i r r e l , "
(Paris
1736)
G l o s s a n u m ad S c r i p t o r e s Mediae e t I n f i m a e L a t i n i col.
1324, w h e r e a "truncus"
is a h u m b l e seat;
also
De N a tu ra Deorum 1, 30, 84 w h e r e " t r u n c u s " s t a n d s f o r d u n c e o r
F r o m a n o t e b y W i l l i a m K i m b e r on the jac k e t o f his
tunes
in the O x f o r d C i t y Library.
recording of